Bruxism is a condition characterised by powerful jaw movements without any real function and which takes the form of involuntary grinding movements of the teeth during strong clenching. This affliction may cause serious dental damages such as for example wearing of the teeth, damage to lips and the tongue, lose teeth, and gingival pockets. Bruxism is often in addition also associated with pain in the back of the head and chronic headache.
Chronic bruxism is divided into nocturnal and awake bruxism, where the latter is also denoted daytime bruxism. Awake bruxism is characterized by being a conscious clenching of upper and lower jaws and grinding of the teeth, although dominated by the latter. Since night-time bruxism is unconscious it may normally only be perceived by those in the surroundings (for example relations) as an unpleasant squeaky noise. Awake bruxism may often be provoked by exposure to stress. It may be relieved relatively easily by drawing the attention of the person to the bruxism. Night-time bruxism is often alleviated by protecting the teeth with a splint.